


Kingdom Come (Part 3)

by SteveM



Series: Multiverse Madness [15]
Category: Batwoman (TV 2019), DC Extended Universe, Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28361109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteveM/pseuds/SteveM
Summary: As Armageddon rages Kate Kane must deliver a judgement that will decide the fate of everyone on Earth.
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Kate Kane, Kara Danvers/Kate Kane
Series: Multiverse Madness [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931842
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

The sky burned, smoke filling the air in thick black clouds whose tendrils chocked the battlefield below. Figures moved through the flames, dark in the red light of the noon sun as it filtered weakly through the devastation that rose all around them. Strobes of every imaginable colour flew through the air, terrifying power let loose with no regards or care for those around it. The ground shook at the force and fury of battle as the Earth itself seemed to recoil from the destruction.

Kate Kane stood unseen and unheeded in the middle of it all, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stared in horror. These scenes had been with her ever since the Spectre had bonded with her soul, visions of an apocalyptic future leading to a tragedy that must be viewed and judged. Her lips moved and gave birth to words that in her vision would have echoed in a voice that could have been that of god himself.

“There were voices… and thunderings… and lightnings… and an earthquake.” She turned to look at the spectre, her face bone white with shock. “This was my dream…”

“No more.” Spectre said calmly, surveying the carnage. 

She turned angrily to face him, somehow ignoring the seemingly countless battles ripping the world apart just feet away from them. “It’s happening… it’s all happening just as the visions showed. Supergirl came too late, the war has begun! Do something! If you have any power, any shred of mercy, of… of compassion in you then make it stop!”

“I cannot.” The Spectre said but he could not meet her gaze as he spoke. “I can take no action. Not yet.”

“Not yet! Why? What in God’s name has to happen? How much time must pass before you deem them worthy of mercy?”

His head snapped back and for the first time she saw the Spectre angry, saw a hint of something more than the all-powerful force that let her walk between realities like a ghostly jury. “There will be a reckoning, Kate Kane. Be prepared. As the scriptures say: ‘Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come.”

Kate felt her fist clench and fought back the urge to punch some sense into him. Was that the only reason she was here? To watch some hideous spectacle unfold so that Spectre could deliver his precious judgement?

She spun on the spot, seeking out the one person she knew she could always rely on, a beacon of hope in the darkest night. It took her only a heartbeat to find the woman she loved but even as the familiar relief at her very presence swept over Kate she felt her heart clench at what she saw.

Supergirl was locked in battle with Shazam, her hands wrapped around his wrists as he tried to wrench free. It was her face though that stirred such fear in Kate. There, in her eyes, Kate saw the same terror she herself felt mirrored and shared. Kara couldn’t comprehend how things had come to this. Spectre had said that Shazam was once one of Supergirl’s most powerful allies in this reality but now Lex’s brainwashing had stripped whatever wisdom he had once possessed.

“Damn it Billy! Snap out of it!” Kara said desperately. “You can’t do this! Too much is happening too fast! We have to work together…” 

Her plea was cut short as Shazam twisted his right arm free of her grip and caught her with a straight punch to the face that sent her flying across the battlefield. As Supergirl plowed into and through a slab of metal that had been one of the exterior walls of the gulag Kate realised the truth. Shazam was no longer anything but an agent of chaos. The one warrior who could counter Supergirl’s every move and prevent her from containing the battle. 

“She believes herself the only force on the planet powerful enough to end this war.” Spectre rumbled from his usual position beside Kate. “She is wrong.”

Without warning the battle vanished, replaced with the huge central hall of the United Nations. Every seat was full, each nation present for perhaps the most important meeting in human history. Addressing them from the podium was the Secretary-General and above him on a huge screen were blueprints for what Kate realised instantly was a bomb.

“This is a multi-megaton nuclear explosive designed and held in reserve for just this moment.” The Secretary-General was saying in a surprisingly subdued voice. He could clearly feel the weight of history pressing down upon him, the terrible decision he was driving. “Take a good look at Mankind’s last hope.”

He paused, gathered himself. "It is capable of vaporising a county. Sheathed in a forcefield unreachable by all catalogue meta human powers with a virtually undetectable deployment system. All our projections estimate that one will achieve the objective.” He paused, searching the room as if trying to make eye contact with every last delegate.

“As Secretary-General of this new United Nations I am empowered to sanction the use of three.”

The room erupted into protests. “Three? Unacceptable!”

“Surely kill civilians too!”

“… risk of inflaming…””

“.. Insist on some other way to…”

“LISTEN to me.” The room fell silent and perhaps for the first time Kate realised the strength of will the man possessed. “Listen and understand. There is nothing rational about dispatching tactical nukes into the heart of my own country but these are not rational times! We are at the flashpoint of human existence!”

He waved a hand at the thick concrete and steel walls. “My god… you can hear the battle even now. Here, in New York! At any moment it threatens to spread forth and engulf the world! What then?” He paused and Kate saw his throat work as he forced back tears. “What then?”

“The only way to ensure that future generations remember this as humanity’s final option… is to ensure that there will be future generations after today. And if they judge that we acted in error then we will accept that judgement as the price for their survival!”

There was silence then without even being asked delegates started to rise to their feet. None made a sound. There was no applause, no voices raised in support or even in agreement. Yet within seconds the world stood in silent agreement.

“Then let us strike while we still can.” The Secretary-General said before stepping away from the podium and through an unmarked door to a small, private space set aside from those handful of men and women who changed the fate of the world with their thoughts and deeds. The last Kate saw of him before returning to the battlefield he had collapsed into a chair, his head in his hands as tears flowed and the sobs wracked his body.


	2. Chapter 2

In the few minutes they’d been absent the battle seemed to have grown considerably worse. Green and blue fire raged across the ground, energy blasts seemed stronger and the earthquakes underfoot seemed to be growing worse. 

Kate tried to stay detached but it was impossible. Even now, in the brightest day, the dust of battle was eclipsing the sun itself. The prisoners released by Shazam’s thunderbolts were striking out blindly and Wonder Woman’s troops were returning force in kind. Both sides fought with wild abandon, whatever heroic ideals of combat that had once ruled them now no more than nostalgic memories. 

“This isn’t a fight that will eventually die down.” She whispered. “This is a forest fire that’s just begun… a war that could end the world!” She once again looked to the Spectre though this time for hope, for some indication that there was still a way back. “Any instant now there will be fatalities and no way to turn back!”

“Yes.” Spectre agreed and Kate realised his attention was focused not on the battlefield itself but on a point in the clouds far above where a single ray of sunlight had managed to pierce the veil. “With Supergirl deadlocked their only prayer of deliverance rests…”

Kate followed his gaze, her eyes once again seeing far beyond regular human sight. In the shaft of sunlight shapes were moving. Some human, others metallic all soaring in with wings speed wide. And at their head was a figure that hadn’t been seen in the world for a decade, white eyes focused on the battle below, the red sigil on her chest pulsing like a beacon in the desolation. 

“… with a force from on high.” Kate whispered.

Batwoman’s legion soared in like a silent cavalry. Whether flesh and blood or machine each agent knew their mission. Stem the loss of life. Prevent the riot while there was still time to exert control. Kate watched fascinated as Batwoman herself hurtled into some of the thickest fighting, her exoskeleton suit allowing her to match the superhumans blow for blow. She moved with impressive speed but Kate’s trained eye was more impressed with the precision. She could see Lena’s mind at work with every blow and movement. There was no wasted effort, the suit pulling in data from all around her and that, in turn, feeding her responses. In short succession three opponents were down on the ground unconscious before a forth sent a tidal wave of flames rolling from his hands at what had to seem like a vengeful demon come amongst them all.

The flamed engulfed Batwoman but Kate could still see the dark outline of the suit and despite the roaring brightness she could still somehow make out the gleaming white eyes. An arm raised and a jet of flame-retardant foam shot out with unbelievable force, extinguishing the flames and knocking out the pyromaniac generating them. 

For one precious moment the sheer force of Batwoman’s presence kindled a desperate ember of hope, the League members noticing and starting to rally around her. Then, from only a short distance away, there was a yell of fear. Kate’s head snapped round and saw a young man on his back, hands raised in a last ditch silent plea for mercy. His suit was shredded, dozens of cuts bleeding freely onto the Kansas soil and above him stood the huge, muscled figure of Von Bach. His muscles rippled as he held a metal statue above his head, a cruel smile on his face.

“Du wurst wie eine wanze zerquetscht!” He taunted… then he looked down in confusion at the blade that had suddenly exited his chest. Blood poured from the fatal wound and dripped from the blade which, for a moment, seemed to suspend him in the air. Then it was ripped back and the monster toppled, the statue crashing down beside him as his last breath left in a death rattle that seemed to be heard across the battlefield.

“Diana?” Lena asked quietly, hurrying to the Amazon’s side.

“He left me no choice. They began this. I will finish it.” Lena recoiled in horror at what she heard. Any semblance of compassion was gone and in its place the voice of a warrior without thought or heed of anything save the next bloody battle.

“Did you see that?” A woman in scarlet armour called. “She killed him! She killed Von Bach! Get her!”

Instantly a crowd rushed towards Diana and Lena turned to stand back to back with her old friend. 

“And we will finish this without you Lena!” Diana snarled and Lena could hear the sword slashing against weapons, the golden lasso pulling bodies to the ground. “Your people are out of their league!”

“Why? Because we’re here to save lives rather than taken them?” Lena snapped back, trusting her tech to keep her alive as she methodically swatted aside targets.

“We’re here to force peace! They left us with no other choice. If you stand in the way I will remove you!”

“Ah, force peace, the Amazon tenet.” Lena said, sarcasm dripping from every word. “Spread love and understanding… but don’t be afraid to bloody your hands doing it. Don’t tell me you still subscribe to that paradox.”

Lena ducked an incoming bolt of purple lightning and fired a gas canister in receipt. “I’ve heard rumours that the Amazons relieved you of your duties and heritage for not being strident enough. Face the truth Diana, you won’t win back your royal station by overcompensating.”

“You hypocritical bitch!” Diana snarled, turning in an instant to slice the tip of one wing clean off the Batsuit. “How DARE you condemn me!”

Her hands locked around Batwoman’s throat and suddenly they were flying up into the sky like a rocket, driven by the fury of the Amazon. 

“I will not be judged by you! Do you hear me? Do you understand?”

The clouds swallowed them, the world around the two women turning dark as night. Diana kept one hand locked around Batwoman’s throat, the other pulling back to slam into the metal suit in a gut punch that would have liquified Lena’s organs had it hit flesh. 

“After all these years you have the nerve to swagger out wearing a dead woman’s legacy and expect everyone to bow before your precious wisdom! Well it’s too late for that Lena!”

Without warning they burst through the cloud layer, the air so thin it was only the surveillance gear in the cowl that let Lena hear Diana’s words. Blinding sunlight washed over them but the clouds below sparked and shook from the war raging underneath. 

“We tried to hold order but it’s too far gone!” Diana pulled her sword and held it to Lena’s throat. “Our only option now is war! Our only answer is…” She faltered as she realised that the white eyes of the cowl weren’t focused on the death held an inch away or even on Diana herself. No, they were looking behind her. Without letting go she turned and felt her blood run cold.

Three aircraft were flying towards them. Still miles away but the strange, almost unearthly sweep of their wings and narrow bodies were already clear enough. Lena’s cowl focused and zoomed in, identifying the planes as military and a moment later told her exactly what their payload was.


	3. Chapter 3

“Billy! Wipe that empty smile off your face!” Kara begged, her heat vision pushing the man back but without seemingly doing any lasting damage. “You were a friend once! How can you do this? How!”

She closed the distance, the blue beams pulsing hotter and hotter. “Look at the horror you’ve let loose!” Blue turned white and an arm came up to block them, the golden braces turning the beams aside. “Damn it, SAY something for yourself!”

“Shazam!” A single word brought with it a bolt of lightning from the heavens that struck Kara in the centre of her chest, scorching the sigil of the House of El and sending her to her knees. As the dust cleared she looked up at the figure now towering over her, smoke pouring from her hands and suit.

“Shazam.” Though the word was quieter the results were the same, a second bolt striking precisely the same spot, its thunder echoing across the land.

“Shazam.” A third bolt crashed into the girl of steel and knocked her forward on to her hands and knees, fingers carving grooves in the hard, blasted ground beneath her. All around the battlefield fighters turned to try and see what fresh hell was being unleashed yet none could bear to look at the brilliant, blinding light.

“Shazam.” As the fourth bolt fell Kate found herself yanked up, mirroring its path and passing so close she would swear she felt its power crackle through her. In a moment she was above the clouds once more, watching Batwoman and Wonder Woman who floated frozen in shock, the Batsuit’s thrusters flaring to keep it in place.

“Open your eyes Diana.” Lena said coldly. “Your answer flies on metal wings. Those are nuclear carriers designed for near-total stealth. Remote control drones that don’t need to worry about the safety of their pilots. The ultimate war bringers. Their bombs will arm the moment they’re released.”

The armoured cowl turned to stare at the former princess of the Amazons, took in the broken expression on her face. “Our war is not one act of violence at the cost of some lives. Our war ends in extinction.” Lena tried to keep her voice calm despite the terrible urgency. “If you’re that devoted to Amazon honour… if your soul genuinely longs for atonement on Amazonian terms… then let’s keep fighting and let the planes do their work.”

For a moment Diana didn’t move but the tears streaming down her face were answer enough. As one the two heroes dove forward, Diana’s cape flaring out to mimic the eagle it was designed after, Batwoman’s suit spreading its own wings as thrusters burned a brilliant orange. 

Despite her spectral form Kate could feel the heat of Batwoman’s lasers as they lanced out, locking the bomb release of one plane to make sure it couldn’t shed its payload before working on its control surfaces. 

She felt the strain of titanium muscles as Diana’s sword carved through the wing of the second plane before severing the lines that controlled the release mechanism.

She heard, from a secure bunker over a thousand miles away, the whisper of a pilot begging forgiveness as the third plane released its bomb.

“NO!” Kate found herself reaching out, as if she could somehow catch the device in the palm of her hand… but there was nothing she could do. Nothing but watch. And judge.

From far, far below the sound of distant thunder rolled up and in the blink of an eye Kate found herself standing on the edge of a small crater, the earth itself thrown aside from the constant barrage of lightning bolts. In its centre Supergirl was still on her hands and knees, Shazam himself now standing just a couple of feet away, a malicious look in his eyes. 

“Enough…” Kara whispered and Kate saw blood running from her ears, her body caught in spasms from the unrelenting attack. She saw Billy smile and whisper a reply of his own.

“Shazam.”

The bolt fell… and Kara moved in a blur. Her right hand shot out not to punch but to grab Billy by his wrist. Before he could react the lightning hit and engulfed them both. A vortex of wind and energy shot out and as it cleared Kate saw Supergirl standing tall, her right hand still gripping Billy… only now it was, indeed, Billy not Shazam. The lightning… it had been the lightning that transformed him at Lex Corp, Kate realised. That was it, that was how he switched between Billy Batson and Shazam! 

Kara clearly knew it too as her left hand was locked around Billy’s jaw, preventing him from making a sound much less forming words. Her cape was gone, burnt to cinders, and the suit was ripped and torn in dozens of places. Smoke billowed from her but there was a strength in her eyes as vibrant and powerful as the day Kate had first seen her.

As the vortex sped away it took with it the cacophony of battle leaving behind an eerie silence. And in that silence ears that could hear cells divide picked out the echo of a voice Kara Zor-El hadn’t heard outside of her dreams for over a decade. Kate’s voice. She looked up, not realising that the scream of rage she was hearing had come from the woman now standing invisibly just feet away. In a moment she saw the bomb as it started its fall, scanning its internal workings and calculating how long they had until it hit the ground.

“It is time.”

“What?” Kate gasped at the unexpected rumble from her companion. 

“Judgement has come, Kate Kane. The hour tolls. Our entire journey has brought us to this moment.”

“But the bomb…”

“… will determine the fate of the world.” As the Spectre spoke Supergirl’s heat vision burst out, covering the immense distance in a heartbeat only to bounce off the energy field protecting the bomb.

“If it drops the superhumans will surely die… but humanity will be spared their violence. If not, they will live on.. to fight a battle that will, in time, swallow the Earth. In either case we face the evil of genocide and my task is to punish those responsible for evil.”

The Spectre seemed to grow taller, his eyes black pits. “But who shall be held accountable? Whose sin is this? The humans… or the superhumans? Tell me Kate. Judge.”

“Me?” Kate gasped, realising now why she had been tasked to do this alone, why Kara had been pulled from her. As much as the woman standing before her was Kara Zor-El… she wasn’t her wife. The decision had to be bigger than that, bigger than personal desires. No wonder the Spectre had wanted her isolated, how else could she ever choose.

“Yours is the soul that guides me.” The Spectre said, staring at her unblinking.

“How can I?” Kate said, turning to take in the battlefield. “There is no Evil here. There is tragedy and pain and loss and… and… “

“Judge. Carefully.”

Kate found herself staring at the tableau before her, Supergirl still looking up at the bomb, her hand locked around Billy’s jaw. Instinctively Kate walked towards Kara, craving her company more than she did her next breath. 

“I… I don’t know what to do.” Supergirl said quietly. “You can see that, can’t you Billy? Every choice I’ve made so far has brought us here. Every choice has been wrong.: Her hand spasmed around Billy’s jaw and the man, now very much human, whimpered. Kara Zor-El turned her full attention on to him and she saw his wide-eyed panic subside slightly.

“So listed to me Billy. Listen harder than you ever have before. Look around us. Look at what we’ve come to. There’s a bomb falling. Either it kills us or we run rampant across the globe.” She gave him a heartbeat to take in the scene before continuing, fighting to keep her voice calm.

“I can still stop the bomb, Billy. That much I’m sure of. What I don’t know is whether I should be allowed to.”

Kate reached out and put a ghostly hand on Kara’s shoulder, surprised when it stayed where it should even though she couldn’t really feel the Girl of Steel. “Superhumans or Mankind… one will pay the ultimate price.” Kate whispered.

“That decision Billy…” Kara said quietly.

“… isn’t for me to make. I’m not a god.” Kate breathed alongside her.

“… isn’t for me to make. I’m not human.” Kara said in perfect synchronisation with the unseen Kate.

“But you Billy… you’re both.” Supergirl said and a sad smile touched her lips. “More than anyone who ever existed you know what it’s like to live in both worlds. Only you can weigh their worth equally. Fight the brainwashing Billy. You can let me go… or with a word… you can stop me.” 

Kara’s voice caught but she forced herself to carry on. “I’m sorry…. Do you understand the choice that can be made by you alone?” 

Billy’s eyes closed and the tears that ran down his face and across Kara’s hand answered for him.

“Then decide.” Kara said, releasing her grip. “Decide the world.”

She took off, racing into the sky directly towards the falling bomb. Behind her Billy Batson looked up and just for a moment an almost-childlike joy touched his face at the sight of the girl of steel taking flight.

Kate heard a whisper in her head, an echo of the voice of prophecy she’d born throughout this ordeal. “And when he cries…”

Billy opened his mouth and whispered a single word: 

“Shazam.”

“Seven thunderers utter their voices.” Kate finished, the words coming back to her as clear as the lightning bolt that sliced the clouds and struck Billy Batson. From its explosion Shazam shot upwards like a missile, his hand reaching out and grabbing Supergirl’s ankle. He yanked and threw her down in his wake. Kate watched, her heart in her throat… but Kara didn’t fight back, let herself be thrown down to join the rest of her kind at ground zero, her eyes never leaving Shazam.

His flight continued until his outstretched arms slammed into the invisible shield around the bomb. He caught it as if in an embrace and lightning burst from his fingertips. Every eye below turned upwards to the fury in the sky, conflict forgotten as they realised their peril far too late to avoid it. And as the bomb cleared the bottom of the cloud layer just a few thousand feet above them they heard his voice echo around the world.

“Shazam. Shazam! SHAZAM!”

The lightning boiled, arced in from every direction and gathered on the spot between his hands. Gathered on the bomb destined to wipe super humans from the world.

The explosion was beyond anything Kate could have imagined. A light and fury exceeding the wrath of the gods themselves bursting across the land to scour it clean. The burning skies were extinguished, the rolling clouds scattered to the four winds as one single mushroom cloud grew in their place. It happened so fast that Kate didn’t even have time to react, instead finding herself standing in a thick fog of white ash that blocked everything from her sight. A figure loomed from within the gloom and it took her a moment to realise it was the Spectre, aptly named in this environment.

He pointed a single finger to a slowly-clearing space in the seemingly-endless fog. 

“Judgement.”

There, crouched in a ball on the ground was Supergirl… and she was moving! Kate went to run forward to embrace her but before she could move the Girl of Steel threw her head back to the heavens and screamed. Her skin looked charred but even as Kate watched it started to heal. As if retreating from the force of the scream the mists began to clear revealing a landscape ankle-deep in ash littered with skeletal figures.

Kate stared in horror at the scene, the victims of the bomb clearly having died in agony where they had been fighting. All had been reduced to grey shapes making it almost impossibly to tell where bone ended and armour began. Here and there she saw two figures crouched together, trying to protect each other in their final moments. 

Silently Supergirl dragged herself to her feet, hands trembling as her body rebuilt itself from the unimaginable force it had just endured. She looked up and Kate gasped. Her eyes were a bright red, sparks flying as a look of fury took hold. For all the world it looked like she was crying tears of fire. Without warning she threw herself into the sky, vanishing in seconds into the white cloud above.

“Where…?” Kate asked, stunned at what she’d seen.

“Almost certainly to confront her human attackers.” Spectre said with infuriating calmness. “She feels completely alone. She need not.”

Once more he pointed and Kate saw an emerald energy shield flickering weakly amongst the ruin. “There were survivors. They are few in number and their pain is great… but their war is over.” He turned to face Kate. “Judgement has been passed. I am no longer needed here. Come Kate Kane, it is time for us to leave.”

“Leave?” Kate asked quietly as her face hardened. “LEAVE?”

Even the Spectre took a step back from the force of the word. “You thought you brought me here just to watch people die? Think again!” She strode forward until she was face to face with the manifestation of Divine Wrath. “You want to confront evil? The get us the hell to the U.N.! Right now! You saw Supergirl! You saw an anger that could twist steel and crack open this planet!”

She drew a deep breath and when she spoke it was the voice of death itself. “If what happens next happens the only way it can… and you let it… THAT is evil!”


	4. Chapter 4

The scene that met Kate’s eyes was one of utter madness. Throughout the assembly hall people were screaming and running, desperately looking for a way to escape. The doors on either side were firmly shut, their wood paneling burned aside and the heavy steel beneath - once intended to protect the delegates from attack - lay exposed and fused together. 

“Run!”

“She’s gone berserk!”

“Doors! She’s welded the doors!”

The cries rose in a defining cacophony with seemingly every language on Earth rising in one despairing cry. Kate looked up and finally saw Kara. Her eyes were still boiling fire, arms raised above her head as she wrenched at one of the enormous concrete support beams that ran across the ceiling. Cracks formed and spider-webbed out across the room, the enormous weight groaning under the stress.

“She’s bringing the roof down…” Kate whispered. “She’s going to kill them…”

“After ten years she has finally let free a wrath that would cower Satan himself.” The Spectre said and even his detached coldness seemed shaken by the sight before him. “How can anyone possibly calm the fury she feels towards her persecutors.”

“I can help. I can reach behind it.” Kate said, grabbing the Spectre by the shoulder. “Do you really think she’s mad at them? She’s raging at herself! Let me talk to her, now!”

Kara could feel the reinforced beam start to snap, the rainfall of concrete splinters on her back a preview of the disaster that was only seconds away. Some part of her screamed with the people below, tried to stop, tried to fight back… but it was consumed by grief and rage and pain. How dare they! She had given them everything, they all had and their gratitude was expressed in genocide!

“Kara.”

The voice was like being submerged in ice water. Kara’s head snapped round and she saw the impossible standing before her, floating in the air just as she did.

“Kara, can you hear me?” 

“K… Kate?” Her voice sounded distant but it was a start, a way in…

“Don’t do this Kara. Please.” Kate walked closer, stepping on air as if it were solid ground. “You blame yourself for Shazam. For Magog and Kansas. For… for me. For ten years that ended today.”

“Kate? You… you can’t….”

“I know you’re angry Kara, I know it hurts. But in that anger you’re forgetting once more what humans feel.” Kate was close enough now to reach out and place a hand on Kara’s arm. To their mutual surprise her fingers made contact. “What they fear.” Her other hand came up and caressed Kara’s cheek, seemingly unafraid of the flames still flaring from her eyes. “They won’t forgive you for this but they’re not the ones you’re seeking forgiveness from.”

“Forgive yourself.”

The world seemed to hold its breath as Kara’s eyes closed. She hung in mid-air for what seemed an eternity, her mind raging. One last battle and this one no-one, not even Kate, could help with. It burned inside her and the course of the future turned with it. At last she looked up, her eyes opened… and the familiar steel blue gaze met Kate’s eyes. 

“How are you here?” Kara asked with wonder, tears falling down her cheeks as she reached out. To Kate’s relief and joy she felt the warmth of a Kryptonian hand gently touch her face. 

“That’s…. Oh, that’s a long story.” Kate said softly, mind racing as she wondered how much to tell this woman. In this moment she wasn’t sure if the truth, the whole truth, would be more curse than kindness… “And I’m not sure we have the time. Not yet, anyway.”

“No… please, stay.”

“I can’t. I’m sorry Kara but your world and mine have to stay separate for a little longer yet.” Kate said, her own tears falling. “But I’ll do the next best thing. I’ll wait for you. I promise.”

“You… you will?” Kara sounded utterly broken, a scared child faced with the reality of death for the first time. Careful, Kate though, careful… 

“Of course I will. On one condition.”

“Anything!”

“That you’re not in any rush to meet me. I mean it Kara, there’ll be time enough for us… an eternity… so make the most of the time you have here. It’s just a heartbeat in comparison.”

Kara stared at the woman she’d lost, not understanding but not caring. She couldn’t find words so just nodded her agreement, fingertips gently tracing the outline of Kate’s face as if checking that she’d remembered every detail, every curve and line. Kate smiled and burrowed in to Kara’s palm, bringing her arms up and wrapping them around Kara’s neck.

“I love you. I always have. I always will. A little waiting isn’t the worst thing in the world, not for you.” She said and offering a quick silent apology to the Kate Kane of this universe kissed Kara. It was a gentle kiss, full of loss and grief and the whimper that passed through it from Kara almost broke Kate’s heart. But she felt those strong arms curl around her and slowly she felt Kara relax. No, she corrected herself, not relax exactly. It was more of a release as a decade of pain and recrimination was finally let loose.

To Kate’s surprise it was Kara that pulled back first, her lips curling into a fragile smile. “I’m not going to find out what’s going on for a long time, am I?” She asked.

“Probably not.” Kate admitted. “But when we see each other again I’ll tell you all of it.” She glanced down and noticed that the people below were frozen in place, as were the flakes of concrete falling towards them, “I think something is giving us this moment though.”

“I wish we could stay in it.” Kara whispered but Kate shook her head.

“Not yet. You still have so much to do here love. They’ll need you now more than ever.”

“But how can I after… after everything that happened?”

Kate felt something tug at her, a subtle reminder that her time was limited… “Kara… listen to me. Of all the things you can do, all your power, your greatest strength has always been your heart. Your instinctive knowledge of right and wrong. You never had to question your choices in any situation, any crisis because you knew what to do for the good of everyone.”

Kate brought both hands up to cup Kara’s faces, her thumbs gently wiping away the tears. “The moment you let the super be more important than the girl… the day mankind rejected you and you let them drive you away… that cost you your instinct. That took your judgement away.”

Kate smiled and whispered to this stranger who she knew better than she knew herself. “Take it back.”

Kara gave a laughing sob at that. “Well if there was any doubt that you’re Kate that just ended it.” She said with a small chuckle.

Once more the tug pulled at Kate, stronger now. 

“Kara, I’m sorry but our time’s almost up!” She said urgently and to her surprise Kara lent in and kissed her again, quickly this time. 

“It’s okay.” Kara whispered, her hands shaking. “It hurts to let you go but it’s okay… I’ll see you again, I know I will.”

“I love you, Kara Zor-El.” Kate said quietly. “Just remember what happened wasn’t your fault. None of it.” She looked around as time started to slowly spool forward once more. She blinked and had a moment of double-vision as once again the Spectre showed her not the future but the present as it marched towards them. 

“If you want to start mending the world Kara, if you want redemption… it lies in the very next decision you make.” She smiled and reluctantly let her hands fall from this remarkable woman. “Make it as yourself… and make it right.”

Kate faded from view and the world around Supergirl snapped back to full speed. One of the doors below buckled and snapped from its hinges and to her shock she saw a small group of super humans fly through the doorway led by Diana and Lena. The surprise forced her back into the moment and she turned to face them.

“Survivors? How?” She asked in wonder.

“With his dying breath, Shazam managed to detonate the bomb high above ground zero.” Diana said, removing her helmet. “Thanks to that and the combined powers of the Lanterns and others some of us lived.”

“How many?”

“Enough to leave us with the same problem as before.” Lena said, her battered suit sparking from several deep cuts in the armour. “The same impasse. The same dangers. The same distrust. The same everything.”

“What now?” Diana asked and she looked right at Supergirl as she said it, turning once more to the Kryptonian for leadership.

Kara hesitated, looking around the room at the assembled delegates who were staring at the new arrivals with a mix of fear and hope. She drew a breath and walked towards the Secretary-General who, to his credit, did not flinch from her gaze.

“Now we put things right.” Kara said quietly. “Years ago I let those I swore to protect drive me away. We all did. And that was the day all of this began.”

‘We… we saw you as gods.” The Secretary-General said, moving to meet her in the middle of the hall. 

“As we saw ourselves.” Kara admitted. “And we were both wrong.”

She looked around at the mass of people, human and superhuman both together. “But I no longer care about the mistakes of the past. I care about coping with tomorrow… together.”

“The problems we face still exist. We’re not going to solve them for you.” Diana and Lena moved to flank the Girl of Steel, Lena reaching up to retract the cowl of the Batsuit as she did so. “We’re going to solve them with you. Not by ruling above you but by living amongst you, if you’ll have us.”

There was silence in the room then the diplomatic voice of every nation on Earth rose in a murmur of approval. Not thunderous applause or cheers, not yet. That would take time but acceptance was enough for now. It was enough to build on.

“We will no longer impose our power on humanity. We will earn your trust…” Kara looked around again and noticed the Green Lantern had something in his arms. A simple white cape with gold trim, miraculously undamaged. “… using the wisdom one man left us as his legacy.”

Kara cradled the cape as if it were the most precious thing in the universe, staring down as her mind revisited the horrors of the recent past. 

“I asked him to chose between humans and superhumans. But he knew that was a false division and he made the only choice that ever truly matters. He chose life.” She looked at the Secretary-General and he nodded, pointing behind him at a display behind the podium. The flag of every delegate hung there and around the edge were several empty places to symbolise the expected growth of the human race into the wider universe. 

Kara lifted up from the ground and flew to the lowest free space, tying the cape in place by its gold clasp. “He made that choice in the hope that your world and ours could be one world once again. We will honour his memory by ensuring that dream becomes reality.”

As the hall looked on in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, an unseen Spectre and his companion turned and stepped away into the light of the future…


	5. Chapter 5

“Wait, why are we at the fortress?” Kate asked, looking around in surprise at a small, comfortable reception room with the unmistakable architecture of Krypton. In its centre Supergirl paced nervously. “I thought you said we were finished here?”

“The judgement is complete but there is one more event to observe.” Spectre said in his usual detached way. Kate was about to protest when the door opened and Lena Luthor entered.

“Thanks for coming.” Kara said holding out her hand almost shyly. To her relief Lena took it and then pulled her in to a hug.

“You asked, of course I came. How’re you doing?”

“Better.” Kara looked down and shook her head. “Not that I could have been doing much worse.”

“Hey…” Lena eased Kara’s chin up until she could look into her eyes. “Please don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Start blaming yourself for having a heart.” Lena said gently. “You’re allowed to hurt, Kara. You’re allowed to make decisions for yourself. What happened with Kate and Joker and… and everything… it would have broken anyone.” She smiled as she brushed a strand of hair away from Kara’s face. “It took a girl of steel to come back from that.”

A somewhat watery smile lifted Kara’s lips at the words. “Thanks.” She whispered before visibly pulling herself together. “How’s Diana doing? I’ve been a bit cut off these last few weeks.”

“She’s….” Lena hesitated then shrugged. “Coping I think is the best word. At the moment I think that’s what we’re all doing truth be told. This wasn’t a nick-of-time thing Kara, we all lost friends in what should have been the end of the world. Some, like Steph and Sara, seem to have decided romance is the solution.”

“Awww, they’re going to be cute together!” Kara interrupted, suddenly seeming to be twenty years younger at the thought of the two blondes hooking up. 

“Disgustingly so, yes.” Lena agreed but a smile lit her face as well. “Others take refuge in work and Diana’s been busy.”

“I can imagine.” Kara said with a worried look.

“Don’t worry, it’s productive.” Lena assured her. “Actually she went back to Themyscira. Convinced them to hear her case again, about how best to help and guide man’s world develop.”

“How’d it go?”

“They’re still thinking about it.”

“And you, Lena, will already know how it’s going to end!” Kara teased.

“I have a suspicion, yes.” Lena admitted before holding her hands up in surrender as Kara playfully fired up her heat vision. “I think she’s going to win. What happened shook the Amazons just as much as the rest of the world. They’re realising that the planet’s a lot smaller than it used to be and they can’t just ignore its problems.”

“So they’ll reinstate her as ambassador to the world?”

“Actually I think they’ll go further than that.” Lena said with a slightly smug smile that left Kara in no doubt who’d come up with this particular idea. “I think they might actually join the world. Oh it’ll be slow at first but for everything she can do Diana is still only one woman. If they want to make a difference they’re all going to need to lend their wisdom and strength to help teach the human race.”

“And that doesn’t worry you? A terrified population being taught by Amazons?”

“No. Mainly because while they’re teaching they’re going to have no choice but to be taught in turn. They’ll give the best of themselves to humanity and in return they’ll become a little more human. It’ll work out. Talking of which, what are you going to do now? Back to burning up typewriters?”

“You do know they invented computers, right?” Kara teased.

“It hadn’t escaped my attention.” Lena said dryly, “But you know what I mean.”

“I do and no, I’m not going back to journalism.” Kara said. “Actually I’m heading to Kansas once we’re done here. I thought I’d give farming a go.”

“Farming? In Kansas?” Lena said in surprise. “You’re planning on growing ten foot carrots that glow in the dark?”

“Funny.” Kara replied with a grin. “I’ll use the same tech that cleared the fallout from Magog’s… incident. It’ll be safe again and with no-one else close by I can probably bring it all back in a few years.”

“Got to admit I never saw you as a farmer Kara.” Lena admitted and caught the shifty look in Kara’s eyes.

“I want to build… well, grow something that’ll help the world.” She admitted. “And right now I can’t think of anything better than helping the world get back to normal. But, uh, it’s not the only reason.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I think there might be a bit of a conflict of interest if I went back to reporting the news.”

“Not sure I follow.”

“The U.N. offered me a permanent position to represent the meta human and alien population.” Supergirl said with an embarrassed blush. “Can’t report the news if I’m making it.”

“Wow… didn’t see that coming but it makes sense.” Lena admitted, running the idea through her mind. “One thing that hasn’t changed is pretty much everyone sees you as a leader, as a voice for all of us.”

“I know but this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.” Kara said and she looked downright nervous now. “I think - I hope - that I can be a good mentor. Help inspire people, teach them and guide them to a better way of life. But the fact is I’m no politician. Plus I didn’t think having someone there with voting powers whose hand prints are in the steel beam above was a great idea. Which is why I suggested an alternative…”

“Who?” Lena asked as she let her thoughts whirl around the problem. “Oliver’s hardly got the patience to deal with me these days let alone a bunch of politicians. Diana’s busy, Flash is still basically the living form of the speed force, the Hawks have a small legal issue over their activities protecting the planet…”

“For someone with a brain the size of the planet you do have a habit of missing the obvious.” Kara said with a smile. “I suggested you.”

“Me?” Lena seemed to freeze as a thousand protests jumped to her lips. “You want a Luthor representing all meta-human and alien kind on this planet?”

“No.” Kara said carefully. “I want Lena Luthor representing us. You’ve always got a plan for the future, are intimidating as hell and can out-think the most diabolical minds on the planet. Plus I know you’ll always, always look after everyone no matter how much you might want to chunk a Batrang at some of ‘em. Managing a bunch of politicians would be a relaxing day at the beach for you.”

“I… I don’t quite know what to say.”

“Say yes? And possibly thank you?”

“Yes. And thank you.” Lena repeated and her eyes lit up as she realised the challenges and opportunities ahead of her. “You’re sure this is a good idea? I mean… I’m not even a meta human.”

“And that’s why you’re perfect for this.” Kara said with a smile. “We just saw what happens when we get trapped in our own points of view. It becomes too easy to justify doing the right thing when you’ve only got half the world to worry about. As odd as this sounds when I’m talking about… about Batwoman it’s your empathy we need more than anything right now. One foot in the human world, one in the super with courage and determination enough for both.”

Lena felt her breath catch in her throat and had to brush away the dampness from her cheeks. “I’ll try to live up to that.”

“You will. You always do.” Kara reassured her.

“Well now that we’ve got that settled… why did you really ask me to come here? We could have had this conversation anywhere so there’s something else.”

Kara took a deep, shaky breath and stood up. “I… I need your help.”

Lena’s eyes narrowed for a moment then softened as realisation hit and she immediately went to Kara’s side. “Of course. You’re sure?”

“It’s time.” Kara’s voice shook as she led them through a side entrance and out onto the shores of her tropical island paradise contained within its own little world. The tower and stables were gone, the whole place looking as fresh and untouched as it must have when…

Lena raised an eyebrow and Kara nodded. “Yeah, this is how it was when we came here for our honeymoon.”

“It’s beautiful.” Lena said quietly then noticed things weren’t quite untouched. A little way back from the western shore there was a small table with a silver box on top and, beside it, a crystal pedestal with a plaque mounted just below its flat surface.

“What do you need from me?” Lena asked, wrapping her arm around Kara’s shoulders and found them shaking.

“Just… just be with me? I don’t think I can do this alone.”

Together they walked forward until Lena could make out the inscription on the plaque. It was split down the middle, the English words on the left spilling in to the Kryptonian on the right. Lena’s Kryptonian was a little rusty but the English was plain enough.

“Kate Kane. Beloved wife of Kara Danvers. Rest until we’re together again.”

Kara reached out a shaking hand and opened the box, drawing out a slightly old-fashioned looking cowl. It was bulkier than the one Lena used these days or, indeed, that Kate had worn at the end. Its black surface gleamed in the late afternoon soon and Kara felt tears fall as she looked down at it.

“She gave me this on our first anniversary.” Kara said quietly, her voice catching. “Same one she wore the first time we met.” She gave a small chuckle as she remembered. “Said for superheroes it was the equivalent of a ticket stub to a first concert.” 

“Sounds like Kate.” Lena agreed with a sad smile. 

“Personally I always thought she just wanted an excuse to get a new one.” Kara laughed, her free hand wiping her cheeks almost constantly. “Lena… back when I almost brought the UN down… I… I saw Kate.” Kara looked over at her old friend and to her surprise saw unconditional trust and acceptance staring back at her. A genuine belief that what she was saying was true. “She…. She talked me back to sanity. Said she loved me. Said she was… was waiting for me.”

“I take it back.” Lena said softly. “THAT sounds like Kate.”

“You don’t think I went a little… crazy?”

“Kara…” Lena paused, trying to put her thoughts into words. “Over the years we’ve both seen things that would be considered impossible a moment before. Giant mind-controlling star fish. Robots that can copy meta human powers with a glance. Aliens who look impossibly good in short skirts.” The last was said with a wink that Kara knew was entirely calculated to lighten the moment but it made her blush anyway. “At this point I think I’d be more surprised if there wasn’t something else out there beyond death.”

“Maybe… I hope so.” Kara stared at the cowl for a moment, clearly battling with herself then said in what was barely a whisper. “She… she said… she said not to rush.”

“And that confirms it.” Lena said. “Kate was a remarkable woman Kara. She was beautiful, smart, brave and had more courage than anyone I’ve ever known. But when it came to you the one thing she wasn’t was selfish. She’d want you to live your life… all of it, as well as you possibly can for as long as you can.”

Kara nodded and she gave up trying to contain her tears. She took a couple of steps forward, Lena letting her go but staying close by. She placed the cowl almost reverently on the right side of the pedestal above the Kryptonian writings, leant forward and kissed what would have been the forehead had Kate been wearing it.

“You have been the sun of my life. My prayers will be the sun that lights your way on the journey home. I will remember you in every dawn and await the night I join with you in the sky.“

Her voice broke and Lena stepped forward to wrap her arms around the girl of steel as she finally let go of her pain and grief. Kara pushed into the warm body surrounding her and groped for Lena’s hands, drawing her friend close as her heart broke all over again. From above her Kara heard Lena whispering her own words to the departed.

"Al molay rachamim, shochayn bam’romim, ham-tzay m’nucha n’chona al kanfay Hash’china, b’ma-alot k’doshim ut-horim k’zo-har haraki-a mazhirim, et nishmat (Name of the Deceased) she-halcha l-olama, ba-avur shenodvu tz’dakah b’ad hazkarat nishmatah. B’Gan Ayden t’hay m’nuchatah; la-chayn Ba-al Harachamim yas-tire-ha b’sayter k’nafav l’olamim, v’yitz-ror bitz-ror hacha-yim et nishmatah, Ado-nay Hu na-chalatah, v’tanu-ach b’shalom al mishkavah. V’nomar: Amayn.”

As Lena finished and wiped away her own tears she found Kara staring at her in surprise. 

“Something I memorised a decade ago.” Lena said quietly. “I hope I got it right, Hebrew isn’t exactly my native tongue.”

“You did.” Kara confirmed and she found that, somehow, the remembrance prayer had helped ease the ache in her chest. “Thank you.”

For a long time they stood like that, staring at the memorial and the lapping waves beyond. The sun started to set, casting golden shadows around them and turning the ocean red as it started to dip below the water. Finally Kara stirred. 

“Before we go… there’s one other thing I want to ask you.”

“Anything.”

“When… when the time comes. If you can… come back here and put this alongside the cowl?” Kara tapped the House of El’s sigil on her chest. “This room is only coded to two people, you and me. No-one else can get in. She can rest here safely… and, eventually, so can I.”

“I will Kara, I promise.” Lena said deciding not to point out that the odds were fairly good Kara would vastly outlive her. 

“Okay… okay I’m ready.” Kara said and with one last look she turned and together they walked away from the memorial and the island paradise to step back into the world beyond the fortress.

To her surprise Kate didn’t see the world fade with them, leaving her and the Spectre alone on the beach. Her own cheeks were damp with the traces of her tears and while it would never have occurred to her before suddenly she was wishing everyone could see their own funeral before they were due to attend it for real. For all that the pain and loss of the mourners hurt seeing the love that drove it was… humbling.

“Why are we still here?” She asked and the Spectre extended a hand to the memorial.

“Given your promise to her I believed you would wish to say your own goodbye.”

“You knew?”

“Of course. Little escapes my gaze, even less in the spaces between worlds.”

Kate decided not to press the point and stepped away, her feet leaving no trace on the sand until she stood before the pedestal. For a moment she thought about touching the cowl in a mark of respect but… but no. This wasn’t a place for her, she had no business disturbing it. Yet she knew, somehow, that something more needed to be said. She let her mind drift and then, suddenly, the words were there waiting for her.

“Though much is taken, much abides; and though   
We are not now that strength which in old days   
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;   
One equal temper of heroic hearts,   
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will   
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. “

She paused and felt her fists clench. “Never to yield. Rest well Kate and have faith. You’ll see each other again.”

She looked up, intending to turn around and return to the Spectre… and saw, just for a moment, a dark outline watching from the edge of the shore. Backlit by the last rays of the setting sun it was impossible to make out a face but instantly Kate knew who it was, who it had to be… and that everything that had been said here this day had been heard.

“Alright. I’m ready.” Kate said to her companion and he raised an arm to reveal a hole in reality leading to a black void. Kate took one last look around, committing the image to her memory for as long as she could hold on to it then stepped out of the world.


	6. Chapter 6

Kate wasn’t sure what she’d expected to see as the world faded back in but Kara and Oliver sitting in high-backed leather chairs sipping drinks certainly hadn’t been at the top of the list. If she was in any doubt that Kara had been on edge the blonde head turning to face her the instant she appeared despite the moment being utterly silent removed it completely. There was a heartbeat as they faced each other than Kate was running, practically flying across the space between them and launching herself into Kara’s waiting arms.

There wasn’t a kiss mainly because Kate seemed to be determined to hold Kara’s entire body against hers at once, as if she was afraid her wife would somehow vanish. Kara felt the fragile human body shaking in her arms and followed suit, wrapping the brunette in an embrace, hands running up and down her back in slow, strong, soothing waves.

“It’s okay, I’m here…” Kara whispered and she realised she couldn’t quite place the reason for Kate’s reaction. Even with strangers she normally had a pretty good guess as her senses pulled in so much information. The beating of their heart, the shallowness of their breathing, the tiny sounds that no-one else would hear, the pulsing of their blood in their veins… it was all open to her if she wanted it to be. With Kate she had a double advantage as she also knew her heart and soul like it was her own, better perhaps. Yet, somehow, this was something new that she simply hadn’t seen before.

“What’s wrong…?” Kara whispered, glaring at both the Spectre and Oliver who were standing shoulder to shoulder behind Kate. 

“Nothing.” Kate said quietly. “It’s just… I needed to see you. Needed to remind myself what’s real, at least for us.” Kate squeezed Kara tightly then let go so she could ease back and look up into those brilliant blue eyes. “I’ll tell you when I’m ready, I promise. Right now… I love you.”

“Love you too.” Kara breathed and her smile was the anchor Kate Kane needed. Suddenly she wasn’t fighting the ocean anymore but turning with it, cutting through the waves and daring it to try to drown her. They were together again and the universe seemed to once more be as it should. 

She turned, still holding Kara’s hand, and added her own glare to the one Kara was sending at their guides. “So what now? I’m not sure I’ve got another judgement in me…”

“Me neither.” Kara growled and as much as Kate always worried about hearing anger in her wife’s voice she couldn’t help but chuckle quietly under her breath. It was always reassuring to know that the most powerful woman in the universe was quite happy to break it for you if need be.

“There is but one judgement remaining then the Multiverse will once again be balanced.” Spectre said coldly.

“Well that’s a shame as we’re really not up for jumping into another reality.” Kara snapped back.

“There is no need to go anywhere, Kara Danvers. Your final task is right here.”

There was silence for a moment then Kara and Kate looked at each other with the same horrible suspicion. Instantly they fell into side-by-side combat stances, Kara floating slightly above Kate who’d pulled a Batarang from her utility belt as the red glow from above told her Kara had her heat vision primed and ready.

“No way! Not a chance in hell!” Kate snapped.

“You really think we’d judge each other?” Kara spat out, barely able to talk past her fury. “For what crime, exactly?”

“Good point! What, precisely, have we done to be the subject of Divine Wrath?” Kate added, her eyes locked on Oliver as every muscle sang in readiness. To her surprise he didn’t match her but instead took a small step backwards, slowly raising his hands palms-out towards them.

“No, you don’t understand…” Oliver said but Kara was not in the mood for it.

“You’re right about that! Choose your next words really carefully or I swear I’ll leave pieces of you across time and space before punching my way back to Earth Prime and the hell with the consequences!”

Oliver swallowed and paused, clearly reviewing what he was about to say in his head a time or two before opening his mouth. “You aren’t the ones who require judgement. We are.”

There was dead silence as the words hung in the air.

“Say that again?” Kate asked, not sure she’d heard him right.

“Your final judgement is on us.” Oliver said, gesturing. “Myself and the Spectre.”

Kate gave her wife a sideways glance and got a shrug in return. “Alright… we’re listening. But if this is anything other than what you claim it to be then Kara’s going to make good on her threat.”

“That… seems fair.” Oliver allowed, very carefully lowering his hands. “Shall we sit? I think it will make this easier.”

Kara glanced over and saw the two chairs had duplicated. She nodded and gestured for the two men - or as close as the Spectre could be to one - to go first. 

Once they were all seated Oliver sat forward slightly and sighed. “I guess it’s easier if I tell you this. Spectre… can struggle to find the right words at times, especially for something this complicated.”

“I’m sure he does. Now what’s ‘this’ exactly?” Kate said sourly. 

Oliver glanced over at the Spectre then started talking, his gaze locked on the floor in front of Kara, unable to bring himself to meet their eyes. “I told you that we needed your help, that I’d lost touch with my humanity. That was true… as far as it went. What I didn’t say is that rebooting the multiverse cost both of us a great deal of what we were. The Spectre is how we perceive part of a… a cosmic force. This isn’t particularly accurate but think of him as an element of God.”

“You mean divine wrath?” Kate asked and Oliver nodded.

“As good a description as any, yes. He anchors himself to a living soul, usually human, to help guide and temper his judgement with what we would call humanity. Or, maybe more accurately, the wisdom you only have if you know that life ends and how precious it can be. When Crisis happened it almost destroyed both of us…”

“Ohhh.” Kara breathed, suddenly putting it together. “He realised he could be as mortal as the rest of us.”

“Yes.” The Spectre replied and she was amazed to hear a mirror of Oliver’s uncertainty in that cold voice. “And with that realisation came fear.”

“As time went by we found clarity harder and harder to come by.” Oliver added. “Decisions that would have been instinctive became a struggle, judgements that should be clear cut became… muddled. Dangerous. And then, one day… we could not agree.”

“Wait, this whole thing is because you had an argument?” Kate said incredulously. 

“No. Well… not exactly.” Oliver admitted. “You have to understand this isn’t a… a team-up or even a partnership. It’s a symbiotic relationship, two souls acting as one. Each helping the other, yes, but keeping them in check as well. To reach an impasse… should be impossible.”

“Such a thing has never happened before to any of the divine forces.” Spectre said and now he sounded flat-out embarrassed. “The balance of the Multiverse shifted and we were unable to correct it.”

“Have you tried counselling?” Kate asked sarcastically but Kara waved her to silence.

“Let me guess….” Kara said quietly. “You decided that you needed to remove the weak link didn’t you? Fix the problem… only you’re not sure which side of your soul that is.”

“That’s… remarkably accurate.” Oliver said sounding rather surprised. “Which is why we came to you.”

“So I was right…” Kara turned to Kate and gave her the short version. “This whole damn thing has been a test. Not of them but of us. Of whether we could help them solve the unsolvable problem.”

“If that’s true, divine wrath or not, I am going to beat the shit out of you. Just so you know.” Kate said casually. “I really don’t like being used.”

“You weren’t!” Oliver replied quickly. “Kara’s right, the judgements were tests… but they were also exactly what we said they were. If they hadn’t been made, and made correctly, the Multiverse could have shattered. Let’s be absolutely clear on that at least: you two haven’t just helped ensure justice was done for the events you’ve witnessed, you’ve literally saved all creation.”

“Lovely. Add it to the list, I’m sure we get a free coffee the tenth time we do that. Now about these tests…” Kate growled but, again, it was Kara that answered.

“Etheria was to test if we’d get involved given the chance. The Freescape to see if we’d look past the obvious problem to find what mattered and do the right thing for all. Stephanie to ensure we could help someone past their own doubts to accept a judgement…. And this one….” She looked at Kate who swallowed hard and forced down her anger before replying.

“And this one was to test our trust in each other and if we’d be so distracted by danger to the other we’d risk the fate of the Universe rather than protect it.” 

“More or less.” Oliver admitted. “And to test you, Kate.” He waved a hand frantically as Kate went to stand up, her fists clenched. “For the last few years you’ve walked alongside a god, loved her and kept pace every step of the way. We needed to know if you’d fallen into the same trap I had.”

“And your verdict?” Even the Spectre seemed to lean back slightly from the cold fury pouring off Kate Kane.

“We didn’t need to check.” Oliver said with what he hoped was an apologetic smile.

“No. You didn’t.” Kate said in the same frosty tone. “And now that we’ve passed your tests… what next?”

“You must determine where the weakness lies… and remove it.” The Spectre said.

“And what happens to the one that’s… removed?” Kate asked though she was fairly certain she already knew the answer.

“They will have no more purpose, in this world or any other. They will pass to what lies beyond.”

“So they’ll die. For real, this time?” Kate said with surprising calmness.

“Yes.”

“And you’re both okay with this?”

“It is what must be done.” The Spectre replied but he couldn’t quite keep the slightest edge of nerves out of his voice.

“I don’t have much left other than this anymore Kate.” Oliver said quietly. “If this is gone then maybe it’s best that it all ends. Finally.”

“And you’ll both accept our judgement?”

“You have shown yourselves both capable and worthy of rendering that verdict.” Spectre confirmed. 

There was a very long silence as Kate and Kara stared at the two beings before them. Then, without turning to her wife, Kate asked a question: “Do you want to tell them or shall I?”

“I’ll do it.” Kara said grimly. “I’ve known him longer after all, I owe him that much.”

Oliver blinked and braced himself for the verdict he knew was coming. “Oliver Queen.” Kara said slowly. “You…. are a colossal idiot.”

“Uh…” 

“All this talk about duty and tasks, judgement and missions… why do you think you’ve lost touch with your humanity? It’s got nothing to do with walking the multiverse! You’ve cut yourself off from everything and everyone who cares about you and spend your days observing all the horror and evil creation has to offer. Of COURSE you’ve become detached from your own sense of right and wrong, it’s the only way you can possibly stay sane!”

“And you…” Kate pointed an accusing finger at the Spectre. “You had to have known that could happen! I’ve seen you without Oliver and you’re more human than you care to admit. You picked a fight with Highfather and the others! Oh you made it seem like you were just pointing out their own failures but there was no need to do so. And I saw you react to some of the events we witnessed… you were angry! And if you’re angry then you at least have some insight into what makes us mortal beings tick!”

“This was not your task…” The Spectre started but Kara cut him off.

“Isn’t it? You asked for a judgement on the two of you, placed that choice in our hands. You wanted to know who had failed, who was the weak one. Well it’s obvious.. you both are. You’ve let yourself stand apart from the rest of the multiverse and no-one can do that, no matter who they are, without ending up trapped in their own loneliness.” 

The Spectre went to reply but this time it was Ollie that interrupted him. “Let her talk. We gave them this power, this choice… we have to see it through now.”

“At least one of you has some sense.” Kate muttered.

“Which will come in useful.” Kara added. “Because you don’t get to take the easy way out of this. The Multiverse needs you, that much is clear. If what we’ve seen when walking with you is any indication this is very much a full time job!”

“And we’re spoken for already. Twice over, actually.” Kate said.

“So here’s your sentence. Let the walls down. Let someone else inside. Remember that in a world of pain and cruelty and… and evil there’s also hope and kindness and love.”

“Umm, one small question?” Oliver said and to his embarrassment he actually found himself raising his hand like he was six years old and back in school. “How, exactly, do we do that?”

Kara smiled. “When Mia came to see me after Crisis she mentioned that in 2040 Felicity had just… vanished. Like she’d stepped off the face of the Earth. Didn’t matter what they tried they couldn’t find her. I could never quite work out why until now. Go to her Oliver. Give her the choice of walking this road with you. After a couple of decades apart I’m pretty sure she’ll jump at the chance.”

He stammered for a moment then collected himself. “But… but this isn’t… it’s not as simple as that.”

“Really? Or is that just an excuse?” Kate asked.

“For you two to do this temporarily… that’s one thing. For Felicity - or anyone - to do what you’re suggesting they would effectively have to leave the mortal world behind forever. I can’t ask her to do that!”

“Why not?” Kate said with a shrug. “I know that if I was given the choice between living a few decades without her or giving it all up to walk beside her just once more I’d pick Kara in an instant. Felicity could be with you and help in the way she’s always wanted for as long as you both want to do this. Then, when it’s over, you get to face whatever’s next together… Honestly that sounds like a deal very few would turn down.”

“Besides I think you’ve already made the decision.” Kara added softly. “That’s why she vanished, because she chose to be with you. It’s just about the only thing that makes sense.”

“And if you two are truly linked…” Kate said, gesturing at both Oliver and the Spectre. “Then that love, and everything that goes with it, will have to flow along that connection too, right? How did Lena put it back there Spectre: “the Amazons would teach humanity and have no choice but to be taught in return”? It’ll be the same here. You’ll gain an insight into humanity like nothing you’ve experienced before and, in return you may just start to see the universe the same way we do. Hell maybe your journey together ends because you gain enough of an insight not to need a mortal guide any more.”

Oliver still had a shocked look on his face at the very thought but Kara could see the longing in his eyes as the possibilities danced in his mind. Unexpectedly it was the Spectre that spoke. “There is one problem… the shock of being asked on that journey by Oliver may risk her health. Once she accepts she will be as protected as Oliver himself from physical harm but until then she is mortal.”

“Well we certainly don’t want to give her a heart attack from seeing Oliver.” Kate mused. “Though if she survived watching you on the salmon ladder….” She noticed the amused look on Kara’s face and shrugged. “Hey I’m gay, not blind. Guy’s ripped and that thing really shows off the muscles.” 

“Annnnnnyway.” Kara said with a smirk. “Getting back on track. Don’t go to her yourself then. We would offer to do it for you but that’s probably not much better given we’re both a couple of decades younger than she’d be expecting and neither of us wants to risk knowing anything about the future. So… how’s about someone she’d know, trust to take her from one reality to… this one and that owes you a considerable favour?”

“Ahhh, good idea.” Kate said before turning to Oliver. “What do you say Mr Queen, still got the Monitor on speed-dial?”

There was another very long silence then in perfect unison both Oliver and Spectre nodded their agreement. “The judgement… is fair.” Spectre said, reaching up and pulling his hood down. It felt slightly odd seeing a near-perfect mirror of Oliver staring back at them but the eyes… the eyes were always so different it oddly made it slightly less creepy with the infinite blackness staring back at them. “Thank you both for your wisdom.”

“Thank you doesn’t seem enough…” Oliver said and there were tears in his eyes. “I…”

“It’s okay.” Kara said softly. “We’ll tell Mia what happened, she’ll be happy to know what happened to her mom and I’m pretty sure she’ll be happy for the two of you.”

Oliver nodded, not trusting himself to speak but Kara wasn’t quite finished. “You can keep an eye on us, can’t you?”

“We can.” Spectre confirmed, seemingly realising the struggles Oliver was having. 

“Good. Then do so… and if we end up at that burger place in the Scottish Highlands I told you about consider stopping in. I think we can give you a cast iron guarantee of some peace and privacy to catch up with your daughter.”

“I…” Oliver stood from the chair, walked over and gave Kara an awkward crouched hug. She laughed and floated up into it to let him stand, offering her other hand to Kate who joined in with surprising enthusiasm. 

“You want in on this?” Kate asked the Spectre, offering a hand and she laughed as he shook his head with something close to fear on his face. “Step too far for divine wrath eh? Fair enough.” Kate said but she left her hand extended and was glad when, a few moments later, she felt the Spectre take it. A hug was clearly too far for him but at least he wasn’t totally against the idea of physical contact. 

“Now that we’ve got that all sorted out…” Kate said after a few minutes had passed. “Is there any chance of us getting home before we forget where it is?”

“Of course.” Spectre said, stepping back and pulling his hood back into place. “Though you should know that a few weeks may have passed in your absence.”

“Wait, what!” Kara asked, horrified. “You never mentioned that!”

“Technically it doesn’t have to.” Oliver told her, his own eyes slightly unfocused as he saw whatever had caught the Spectre’s attention. “But consider it… a gift.”

“How is this a gift, exactly?” Kara said with a skeptical look. 

“Two reasons. It’ll give you a small problem to clean up that will benefit you in the long run and, more importantly, we’re as sure as we can be that there’s nothing earth-shattering coming for a little while. You ought to be able to have at least a couple of weeks off to recover.”

Kara opened her mouth to object but Kate placed a hand on her arm. “You know what, let’s go with it. After all of this on top of Apokolips I’m pretty sure we’re going to need the downtime. Also if we were away for that long the automated ‘don’t panic, something came up’ message I set before we left would have been sent to Alex so you shouldn’t have to do more than a night or two of sisterly grovelling.”

“Your… wait, when did you set that up?”

“Hmm? Oh, I’ve always got a few timed messages running on the Batcomputer. Sent a quick pulse from my watch just before I took Oliver’s hand back in your apartment to prime the right one if we weren’t back in time.”

“I didn’t see that!”

“You don’t see everything love… how else could I ever surprise you?” Kate said with a grin as Kara suddenly realised that Kate’s right hand had somehow managed to land on Kara’s ass without her noticing it moving. 

“Alright, fine, a few weeks later it is. But if Alex is pissed off I’m going to make sure she finds a way to take it out on you!” Kara said, the comment seemingly addressed to Oliver, Spectre and Kate all at once.

“Fair enough.” Kate laughed though Oliver looked slightly worried at the thought. “Let’s go home…”

“No place like it!” Kara agreed and actually clicked her heels together. 

Kate rolled her eyes and pulled Kara in close. “You’re lucky I love you.” She said with a smile and as they kissed the void around them rolled into a mass of colour for one last time, Oliver and Spectre merging back into one hooded figure and vanishing as the familiar setting of Kara’s apartment solidifying without either woman even noticing.

**Author's Note:**

> And so we come to the end of ‘Season 4’… well, almost anyway. Next week will see a wrap up of a couple of dangling plot threads that are just too juicy to leave hanging and Kate and Kara *finally* getting some alone time. Haven’t yet decided what to do after that but the front runner right now for a ‘season 5’ is a much, much less connected set of standalone stories that can delve into other pairings and try for some lighter fare than this arc served up. 
> 
> Got to say that while Kingdom Come was a joy to write this part damn near killed me. The funeral scene in particular was difficult to get through, not least because I wanted to make sure I got Kara’s words right so rewatched Astra’s funeral from S1 of Supergirl. Can I just say that we do not appreciate Melissa enough in this role? That’s first season when everyone’s trying to find their feet and she’s praying in a made-up space religion while floating in front of a coffin and it is absolutely heartbreaking. Stunningly good performance. 
> 
> Anyway if you enjoyed this can I recommend the book this basically retells one more time? It’s a really good story with spectacular artwork and is usually available on digital sales for around £5. Well worth your time.


End file.
